Carrick's England mission

MICHAEL Carrick is hoping to get the chance to fire a World Cup reminder to Fabio Capello over the next 10 days. The United midfielder has been included in the England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against the Ukraine next Saturday and Belarus at Wembley the following Wednesday.

MICHAEL Carrick is hoping to get the chance to fire a World Cup reminder to Fabio Capello over the next 10 days.

The United midfielder has been included in the England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against the Ukraine next Saturday and Belarus at Wembley the following Wednesday.

Though Carrick has struggled to nail down a first-team place so far at Old Trafford this season, he is desperate to make a compelling case to Capello that he should be included in his party that travels to South Africa for next summer’s finals.

“Playing in the World Cup was always my ambition and no-one wants to play for England more than me.

“You’re desperate for the honour of playing for your country at Wembley and in the World Cups. It’s something you can’t buy.

“You look around the squad and everyone’s enjoying it and its a great place to be.”

For his part, Capello has hinted that the Geordie will get a chance to impress. “Carrick was with us when we played Croatia. He is playing very well and will probably start one of the two games.”

As expected, Carrick’s United colleagues Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney are also in the 24-man party as is Wes Brown but an "unspecified injury" has ruled out Reds’ keeper Ben Foster.

Capello has adopted a cautious approach and decided against drafting Arsenal’s Theo Walcott into his squad for the first time this season, even though England have already booked their place at next summer’s finals in South Africa.

In fact, despite predictions of mass experimentation, Capello has not made many changes at all.

The absences of Jermain Defoe and Foster have been put down to injury, a hand in the case of the Tottenham man.

It leaves Ashley Young as the only player to miss out without an obvious excuse, his despair in contrast to the ecstasy of Gabriel Agbonlahor, who is recalled along with experienced duo David James and Ferdinand, who have both had their injury problems in recent times.